First gear jerks!

[Beetle_NZ]

Hi guys! so flushing is not really advisable? ok if thats the case then this tuesday I will let them drain it and change filter and fluid just to be sure. it's better if I could also talk to the mechanic in person so that I could hear his technical reason for the flushing and then we go from there.

About the water pump..yup! they did not change it because it is not part of the warranty and not included in the general 100k mntainance here in NZ I think

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Beetle_NZ

Hi guys! so flushing is not really advisable? ok if thats the case then this tuesday I will let them drain it and change filter and fluid just to be sure. it's better if I could also talk to the mechanic in person so that I could hear his technical reason for the flushing and then we go from there.

About the water pump..yup! they did not change it because it is not part of the warranty and not included in the general 100k mntainance here in NZ I think

Doesn't make any sense for the water pump not being part of the regular timing belt maintenance because all of the beetle's had those crappy water pumps with "plastic" impellars from the factory. And if they did the timing belt service then they were right there and replacing it would have been a lot easier then taking it all apart again to get to the water pump at some later time. Sounds to me that they were intentionally lazy or negligent.

As far as flushing vs. draining the transmission a lot of people will tell you different things. It takes a special machine to properly flush the transmission. Where the old transmission fluid is pushed out into a bladder and replaced with new fluid. If done right it will replace up to 98% of the old fluid. Some say that the pressure of the machine will shoot the gunk and varnish that built up through the transmission and it may damage the seals and clutches. If that happens there may already been some damage prior to flushing the transmission and perhaps the flush aggravated the issue.
That said if you just take off the pan and let the transmission drain you will probably only be able to get about 60-65% of the old fluid out since the old fluid pooling in the Torque Converter and the Valve body will remain and can't be removed unless you flush your transmission. So you are mixing old fluid with new fluid.

Well, either way I wish you well. I just hope this car will not nickle and dime you to death.

[Beetle_NZ]

Hi! You also got a point thr. At this stage the last say or decision would be from the mechanic I still on doubt if they did not change the water pump since it was a long the way when changing the timing belt as you guys said. It will be confirmed next week when I meet him. Maybe the secretary whom I speak to after I talk to the mechanic don't have an idea what was change etc. As long as they will treat my bug accordingly then there would be no problem

[Smileybug]

I have no clue on the procedure for the NB, but I know on my husband's Honda Accord, the fluid change procedure for his transmission calls for you to drain and fill 3 times. After each fill, run the car through all of the gears to get the fluid moving around, then drain. Doing this 3 times gets a better chance of getting all of the bad stuff out (and you do see the fluid getting cleaner each time. We do this ourselves). But with needing to use VAG-COM for checking the level properly, not sure if its that easy with the NB. There is a dipstick on the Honda trans and all very, very easy to do.

[Beetle_NZ]

at last trans fluid change already done yesterday and so far it only jerks twice today..cause befor wen i place the gear to drive..wont move..now, it moves without stepping the gas..is this a got sign of recovery?

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Beetle_NZ

at last trans fluid change already done yesterday and so far it only jerks twice today..cause befor wen i place the gear to drive..wont move..now, it moves without stepping the gas..is this a got sign of recovery?

I hate to say this but there is no magic fix for an Automatic Transmission once it is acting up. Your Valve Body is what is causing the jerking and perhaps the new fluid did clear one or more blockages but that is only temporary. Once the valve body goes the transmission isn't far behind. I do wish you good luck and hope you can enjoy driving it for a few months longer.

[Smileybug]

Sometimes fluid changing does fix problems. But if its still showing the same symptoms, you have other issues.

[Beetle_NZ]

so if it was'nt fix by a transmission fluid change so there must be a bigger problem? i don't mind if the transmission goes anytime this year because I have a 2 year mechanical warranty. But beyond that, I maybe in trouble financially

They already fix/change my power window, leak engine oil and power steering with no cost on my side.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Beetle_NZ

so if it was'nt fix by a transmission fluid change so there must be a bigger problem? i don't mind if the transmission goes anytime this year because I have a 2 year mechanical warranty. But beyond that, I maybe in trouble financially

They already fix/change my power window, leak engine oil and power steering with no cost on my side.

In that case keep complaining that the transmission jerks.
It's a well documented case that the Valve body in the early model Beetle's is weak and breaks down. This will reduce line pressure to the transmission itself and eventually burn out the clutches. So in other words once the Valve body fails completely the transmission will be toast as well. Dealership charges about 1500-2000 for a new valve body. A rebuilt transmission will be a lot higher in price.

I would keep complaining until the fix the valve body or better yet replace the transmission. Because it isn't if it will fail but when.

[Beetle_NZ]

Yup I would and keep my eye on my bug for ther maybe more unexplained problems coming. But today I am lucky that no jerking happened. I'll keep you guys posted in a months time on this. I also found out that my secondary air pump is noisy when active like a jet plane and when I put my hand close to it I feel air coming out were the pump and the tube is connected. My secondary pump is dfrent from others I saw here in org. It has no revits. Can I fix this on my own or need to bring it to the shop again?

thanks again guys!

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Beetle_NZ

Yup I would and keep my eye on my bug for ther maybe more unexplained problems coming. But today I am lucky that no jerking happened. I'll keep you guys posted in a months time on this. I also found out that my secondary air pump is noisy when active like a jet plane and when I put my hand close to it I feel air coming out were the pump and the tube is connected. My secondary pump is dfrent from others I saw here in org. It has no revits. Can I fix this on my own or need to bring it to the shop again?

thanks again guys!

If it is under warranty then I would take it to the shop. Why worry about fixing it if it is covered?

[Beetle_NZ]

If I can fix it like what i read on the org. which is cheap and easy I would rather than taking a day off just to drive my car to the shop, rent a replacement car and taking a day off again to get the car..whew!! even though it never cost me money to fix it but the hassle sometimes is not worth it and gets us frustrated..

Indytom just opened my engine cover and found out that the tube lines were the air leeks is not totally place properly in the SAP and loose. When I push it in, it click and locked. Now it wont make a jet engine sound no more!! yepey..thanks org!!

[Beetle_NZ]

It's been a couple of months since transmission flued change and the jerking is totally gone..thanks everyone..thanks forum! I love you!

[bugsbuddy]

I had the delay into D and R. Sometimes even a low speed stall and harsh gear engagement. Went to the dealership, spent $300 to have it serviced, and the problem is gone! Funny thing is, there was no oil leak on the trans, no computer error codes, 57,000 mile car, and the service department had nothing to say. I dont have the proper tools or the time to do the job, so the $150+ in labor, was well worth it!

[dnyed]

I'm not a First Gear Jerk. I love ALL gears!